Power Outage Forces Old Fitz Theatre To Cancel THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES Performances

The Old Fitz Theatre, Australia's only remaining pub theatre located in the heart of Sydney's Woolloomooloo, has been forced to close its doors temporarily due to a critical power outage in the area.

The unexpected disruption has halted performances of the theatre's current mainstage production The Female of the Species by celebrated Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith. Starring well-known Australian actors Lucy Miller and Mark Lee, the show had to cancel three performances scheduled for Friday and Saturday. The ongoing power issues may lead to further cancellations.

According to the Ausgrid website, the outage began at 8:40am on Friday. Initial estimates on the website said that it would be resolved at 6:30pm, however it has since been extended three times. The current estimation (as of 3:30pm) says 11pm on Saturday 16th November.

Rogue Projects, the independent company behind The Female of the Species, faces significant financial strain as a result of the closures. The Old Fitz Theatre is an intimate 55-seat venue, and every ticket sale is essential for the company to pay their artists and cover production costs. Rogue Projects that while initial estimates indicated that only one performance would be canceled, the ongoing repairs have resulted in a total of three missed performances, and growing uncertainty about when the theatre can reopen.

With revenue from ticket sales sharply impacted, Rogue Projects is appealing to the public to donate to the production's original fundraiser through the Australian Cultural Fund. While compensation from Ausgrid may be a possibility, the company expressed their hope that theatre-goers and patrons of the arts will rally to support their work as the financial implications of canceling so many shows has put the company at risk.

"Independent theatre survives on the smell of an oily rag and the passion of its artists," said The Female of the Species director Erica Lovell. "Force majeure events like the major power outage that has cost The Female of The Species three shows isn't just heart breaking because of the loss of art in our theatres, it also represents a serious threat to the fair remuneration of artists and producers working in independent theatre. Like Covid, these events shine a light on how vulnerable live performance is in the independent sector. I'd like to thank The Old Fitz for their support, Ausgrid for their understanding and great communication, every ticket holder who has chosen to transfer rather than refund, and our donors who are helping us weather this storm."

The outage has also forced the closure of the Old Fitzroy Hotel, the beloved 150-year old pub owned by Odd Culture group, which the theatre is attached to (but operated separately). It has also forced the cancellation of two performances of the late night show at the Old Fitz Theatre, Draw Two by Meg Goodfellow.

The Female of the Species is running at the Old Fitz Theatre until November 23rd.

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